College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Hebrews 12:14-17
Falling short of the grace of God. Hebrews 12:14-17
Text
Hebrews 12:14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:15 looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled; Hebrews 12:16 lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. Hebrews 12:17 For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Paraphrase
Hebrews 12:14 Earnestly cultivate peace with all men, with the Gentiles as well as with the Jews, and even with your enemies: But at the same time maintain holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord;
Hebrews 12:15 Carefully observing your own behaviour, and that of your brethren, lest any one, through gross sins continued in, come short of the reward God has graciously promised to the faithful, lest some apostate rising trouble you, and, by his errors and bad example, many of you be corrupted;
Hebrews 12:16 Also, lest there be among you any fornicatorany one addicted to his appetites; or any profane person, who, despising spiritual blessings, renounces them for the sake of present pleasures, as Esau did, who for one meat gave away his birthrights.
Hebrews 12:17 And his folly ye know from the scripture by this, that although afterwards he wished to inherit the blessing, he was reprobated by his father, who durst not retract words which he felt himself moved by inspiration to utter; for he found no place of repentance in his father, though he earnestly sought the blessing with tears. Instead of repenting, his father confirmed the blessing to Jacob, Genesis 27:33.
Comment
Follow after peace with all men
Christ set the example.
a.
He taught turning the other cheek. Matthew 5:39.
b.
He refused to let Peter defend him. Matthew 26:52.
c.
He came as a lamb to the slaughter. Isaiah 53.
The word follow is a strong word.
a.
In Greek it is to pursue, as in a chase or battle.
b.
It is something to work at, for a warring world will do all it can to keep us from peace.
We are exhorted to strive for peace.
a.
Romans 12:18: As much as in you lieth be at peace.
b.
Colossians 3:15: Let the peace of God rule.
c.
1 Thessalonians 5:13: Be at peace.
d.
Romans 14:19: Follow after the things which make for peace.
It is a qualification for elders and deacons.
a.
1 Timothy 3:3: No brawler.
and the sanctification
This is the experience of all. It does not encourage camp-meetings, emotionalism, where second blessings are sought.
a.
All in Christ are sanctified. 1 Corinthians 1:2.
b.
In Hebrews, sanctified means separated unto God.
1.
It does not refer to feelings, but to Christ's blood.
Hebrews 10:10: We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all.
2.
When we become Christians we are then sanctified.
Sanctification is obtained by yielding once for all to God. It is not a second filling. The word sanctification is also translated holiness.
without which no man shall see the Lord
There then is no salvation for any except by the blood. The moral man had better come under the blood if he would see God.
The denominationalist had better be sure of Christ's own Ways, for it is the Way of sanctification. This sanctified being of ours has many responsibilities, and these must be
pursued if we would see the Lord.
looking carefully
Four kinds of troubles should be looked for.
a.
Those who fall short.
b.
Bitterness springing up.
c.
Fornication.
d.
Profane person.
This is not gossip-hunting, but a carefulness on the part of those who watch in behalf of souls.
lest there be any man that falleth
Observe the repeated warnings that show the possibility: 2 Corinthians 6:1; Luke 8:18; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 4:1; Hebrews 6:6; Hebrews 10:31. Sometimes the least likely ones fall, so it requires a careful watch.
short of the grace of God
One so great as Paul was afraid of this happening to himself, for he says, 1 Corinthians 9:26: So fight I.
Compare 1 Timothy 4:1; Galatians 5:4; Revelation 2:5.
If we fall short of God's grace, then we have missed everything, This the Christian can do.
lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you
Most every church has a few devilish members who set the tone for bitterness and strife. Calvin feels this alludes to Deuteronomy 29:18.
a.
Moses warned the people to beware lest any root of germination should bear gall and wormwood among them.
b.
If we allow a wicked person to grow in the church, it will corrupt and defile many.
and thereby the many be defiled
A few trouble-makers can bring reproach upon all. One bad apple soon causes the bushel of apples to be rotten. Israel allowed a few people to turn to idolatry, and soon ten tribes were carried away with it.
lest there be any fornicator
This is an awful sin, for it undermines the home.
a.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 says to put him out of the fellowship.
b.
Hebrews 13:4 says God will judge him.
c.
Compare also 1 Corinthians 6:9.
This was a warning made by the Jerusalem counsel in Acts 15.
or profane person
The Greek word is bebelas. It doesn-'t necessarily mean to blaspheme or do violence, evil.
a.
It refers literally to a threshold that anyone and everyone may trample over.
b.
It refers to something in which there is no special consciousness. Compare 1 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16.
A profane man is one who has not thought of God.
as Esau who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright
Sin can destroy one's birthright, Esau found it out.
a.
Milligan says the tradition of the Jews is that Esau was also a fornicator.
b.
His profanity is seen in Genesis 25:34 where we read, despised his birthright.
Sin is a selling out to the devil.
for ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing he was rejected
A moment of pleasure may cause us to think that we shall never be disappointed, but we will be.
a.
In a time of soberness a person comes to desire all that he has lost.
b.
The prodigal son, when he came to himself, remembered his home and blessings.
Esau finally sought his birthright, but then it was too late.
for he found no place for a change of mind in his father
The father could not be wishy-washy because of the weakness of others. Why should a father undo all that was done for a careless son who had no respect for sacredness in a moment of hunger? Does this mean that man can repent to no avail, that God will never change?
a.
This section is a warning with Esau as an example, and that is as far as it should be pressed.
b.
We have no way of knowing whether Esau made a genuine repentance, so the illustration cannot be pressed.
though he sought it diligently with tears.
Stupid, ungodly persons, burning with lusts, plunge themselves into sins which bring tears, but often tears are too late. Tears are shed many times, not in repentance for sin, but in sorrow for what is lost.
Study Questions
2568.
What is the significance of the word follow?
2569.
Are we exhorted to follow a person in this verse?
2570.
Is the world conducive to peace?
2571.
Tell how Christ followed after peace.
2572.
Can the Christian always be at peace?
2573.
Was Jesus always at peace?
2574.
What other verses of the Bible have a similar exhortation as Hebrews 12:14? Cf. Romans 12:18; Romans 14:19.
2575.
Is this virtue important in the life of an elder? Cf. 1 Timothy 3:3.
2576.
What does sanctification mean in the Bible?
2577.
What does it mean to the denominationalist?
2578.
Is it a matter of feeling or a matter of fact?
2579.
Are we sanctified after we are Christians by growth?
2580.
Can spiritual growth enable us to be more sanctified?
2581.
What does Hebrews 10:10 say sanctifies?
2582.
Is sanctification a second blessing, or a state of the Christian?
2583.
How important is sanctification to eternal life?
2584.
Can the good moral man expect salvation without sanctification?
2585.
If blood sanctifies, can we expect salvation without it?
2586.
What is meant by looking carefully? Hebrews 12:15
2587.
What four things are we to look for?
2588.
Does this encourage looking, like a gossip-hunter does?
2589.
Is this an exhortation to an individual person or to the elders of the flock?
2590.
Does this verse indicate that a person may fall?
2591.
Why should we look carefully?
2592.
Compare other verses on the subject of falling.
2593.
According to this verse, can we fall from grace?
2594.
Was Paul ever afraid it might happen to him? Cf. 1 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16.
2595.
What is the grace of God?
2596.
Does verse sixteen or verse seventeen tell us what would destroy God's grace toward us?
2597.
What is the figure of speech used in Hebrews 12:15?
2598.
Could this be an allusion to Deuteronomy 29:18?
2599.
Is a bitter person dangerous to the flock?
2600.
What could be back of bitterness? Could it be disappointment jealousy?
2601.
How extensive may the influence of the root of bitterness be?
2602.
How extensively could the root do damage?
2603.
Give illustrations in Israel's history.
2604.
How are we to treat the fornicator in the church, according to 1 Corinthians 5:9-13?
2605.
What will God do with him? Cf. Hebrews 13:4.
2606.
What is meant by a profane person? Is it one who swears?
2607.
What person is illustrative of profanity? How? Cf. Genesis 25:34.
2608.
What is the significance of the expression, profane person in application to us?
2609.
Compare 1 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16.
2610.
How could Esau be an example of a profane person?
2611.
Whom would we sell out in order to be profane?
2612.
Is a person who curses unthoughtful of God?
2613.
How permanent was Esau's profanity?
2614.
Is there danger in bad mistakes as seen in the life of Esau?
2615.
Can a moment of pleasure ruin our life?
2616.
Name persons of the Bible whose life was ruined or blighted by selling out to the devil.
2617.
Is repentance ever too late?
2618.
Was Esau's father hard-hearted?
2619.
Can God be wishy-washy because people are?
2620.
Is law good when it does not have good enforcement?
2621.
Does this verse mean that God cannot always be touched by our repentance?
2622.
How true was Esau's repentance?
2623.
Are tears always a sign of repentance?